


Never Stop Believing

by AnnieShields



Category: Actor RPF, American Actor RPF, Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Moana (2016), Sebastian Stan - Fandom, Sebastian Stan RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cute Kids, Disney Movies, F/M, Family, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Inspired by Moana (2016), Inspired by a Movie, NaNoWriMo, NaNoWriMo 2016, One Shot, Romantic Fluff, Sebastian Loves Disney, Soulmates, Very fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 21:45:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8914063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieShields/pseuds/AnnieShields
Summary: Alice had no clue her world was about to change when she took her niece to the movies to see Moana.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [You're Welcome (From "Moana"/Jordan Fisher/Lin-Manuel Miranda Version/Audio Only)](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/249220) by Jordan Fisher/Lin-Manuel Miranda. 



> I went to see Moana with my boyfriend right in the middle of NaNoWriMo 2016 and then I had to write a one-shot with Sebastian on the very last day to finish and, well, this is what happened. :D  
> Also, this is my first work in the soulmates AU, so some feedback would be nice! 
> 
> Enjoy! :)

The cinema is crowded with children. My niece tugs at my arm to go up to the very top of the theater, but our tickets are issued for one of the middle rows. We, of course, go up to the top to try and get the two empty seats in the middle of the row, making everyone else already sitting there stand up to let us in. 

\- I’m sorry - I say as we step over snacks and bags alternatively. - Excuse me. Pardon, Sorry. I’m sorry - I keep saying as we go to finally reach the seats next to the man seemingly sitting alone there. -  _ I’m sorry _ \- I say as I accidentally trip over his bent legs. He’s wearing a baseball cap and the hood of his sweatshirt on, but his long hair spills out from under them.

\-  _ It’s okay _ \- he says, smiling, his white teeth showing, lighting up his face as he looks over to my niece overjoyed by the best place ever. It doesn’t even occur to me to look at my mark then because I just don’t pay much attention to it, it’s a phrase I hear every day, I stopped believing in it a very long time ago. If I would jump at every man saying „It’s okay” to my clumsy as hell person, I would... probably be married by now, like a hundredth time. 

 

So I just go on without giving a second look to the man sitting next to us, mainly because Suzie takes all my attention with her babbling.

We are watching the movie Moana for the first time and she can’t wait to see the story unfold. She chats excitedly about the trailers of different animation movies telling me which ones she wants to see next. I really need to get into the business of writing animation movie critics. They are so much more fun than the daily news section that I’m working at now. Maybe I could suggest it to our editor. I would love to see some reviews from actual parents or journalist spending time with kids before I go to see a movie with a child. Especially because I hate to disappoint them with something they anticipated for so long.

 

Anyway, we put on our 3D goggles and the movie starts shortly. And it’s incredible. 

I mean this is a cartoon basically, it’s not specifically made for adults to enjoy, it’s for kids, their interest, their dreams, but God. I cry myself silly laughing on that crazy chicken or rooster or something and I’m in awe for all the songs in it. The storyline is also perfect, Suzie is jumping up and down next to me and I can’t help but look over to our neighbor in the cap, to apologize again for her.

\-  _ It’s okay _ \- he says again, his voice almost familiar, but I don’t really know where from and it’s already too dark to see his face. - She’s just really enjoying herself, I would like to jump up and down like her, cause it’s really incredible - he says to me his voice barely above a whisper. 

 

\- She just couldn’t wait to see it - I shrug. -, I’m so glad it’s this good. I mean... I thought I will fall asleep from boredom like I did on the Barbie movies when I babysat her - I smile remembering how pissed off my sister was when she came home and found me covered in her favorite lipstick, asleep with her little girl running around at midnight. - It really is quite amusing. I mean look at that stupid chicken. And Dwayne Johnson’s voice is perfect for Maui - I add. He nods, his head just a shapeless shadow.

\- I love the songs. Lin-Manuel Miranda did a really great job at the lyrics - he replies, but I can’t respond immediately because Suzie is shushing at us.

\- Keep quiet, I’m watching the film - she huffs at me, acting annoyed, crossing her little arms. I make an apologetic face.

\- I’m sorry, apparently, it’s me who is being babysat this time - I whisper leaning closer.

\- It’s okay, let’s just watch it, we can talk it out afterwards - he offers and I agree with a nod, turning back to my niece to pass her sippy-cup.

 

She is worried when Moana has a bad dream about her parents getting swallowed by the darkness, her island slowly consumed by destruction.

\- Are they dead? - she asks desperate and the man next to me chuckles next to me along with some other viewers.

\- No, Suzie, no - I let her take my hand and scoot closer a little bit scared, but it goes away the minute it turn’s out it’s just the dream. - You see, it was just a nightmare. 

She sighs relieved and releases my hand, but stays snuggling to my side. I stroke her back idly as the story goes on.

\- She’s cute - comes the voice from the side again. - She’ yours? - he asks casually. I smile. I get this question a lot when I take her out sometimes so my sister has a little time to herself.

\- No, my sister’s baby, but I like to spoil her sometimes.

\- Your sister or your niece? - he asks back and it’s my turn to chuckle quietly, as Suzie squirms at my side.

\- Both - I whisper. - My sister raises her alone, I try to be around to take some of the load off when I can.

\- That’s kind of you - he replies, still watching the movie as he speaks.

\- I try - I shrug. - And you? Alone on a kid’s movie? 

\- I just like to watch on the big screen - he shrugs. - And I have a soft spot for everything Disney, especially in this brave new world where it’s not the prince that saves the day anymore - he adds, turning toward me, half of his face lit now by the screen flashing in front of us. His hair gets in the way, but I still have a strange feeling in my gut that I had seen him before.

 

Suzie starts dancing and giggling when the crab’s song comes up and I have no choice but to join in as she keeps yelling „Dance, Auntie Ally, dance with me!” until I do. We sing along by the end of the song and she is so excited that Moana got the hook back for Maui, and she laughs until her tears are falling on the way the demigod can’t seem to get the magical weapon working and turns into different creatures until he ends up with human legs and shark top. We are laughing together and by the end of the scene, she’s in my lap playing with my hair absentmindedly as she watches the screen with open mouth. She’s so adorable when she’s so into something.

 

\- Why is he leaving, Ally, he has to help Moana! - she exclaims when the man leaves behind Moana on her boat to face Te Ka alone if she wants to and I try to hide the tears running down my cheeks when Moana’s grandma gives a pep-talk to her, but nothing embarrassing can go unnoticed by her. - Why are you crying? 

\- I’m not, it’s just something in my eye, Suzie! - I wipe them away and somehow get a bit embarrassed by the way I see in my peripheric vision the stranger turned toward me, watching me try to cover up my tears.

_ \- I’m sorry  _ \- I mutter abruptly, though I know I shouldn’t be apologizing to a stranger about getting a bit too emotional over a kid’s movie.

_ \- It’s okay _ \- he says quietly, his voice gentle and soft as he touches my hand for a mere second, making me turn to him. He pulls away immediately and I turn away too, still a bit embarrassed. I’m actually glad it’s too dark now, so he can’t see the way I blushed. Suzie clings to me during the final scene when Maui returns and Moana finally returns the heart of Te Fiti to its rightful owner and the world gets saved once again by a brave and daring girl. Even I feel inspired and Suzie tells me how she wants to go sailing with his uncle next time.

\- Uncle Tom is not going sailing anytime soon, but we can go to the pool sometime so we can practice swimming - I offer to her and she starts to show me how fast she can actually swim and accidentally knocks the cap off the man’s head sitting next to us.

\- Oh, my god, I’m so sorry - I turn to him as Suzie gets his cap from the floor. The air gets knocked out of my lungs for a second and my eyes widen involuntarily as I recognize the man.

\- Seba... Oh, well...  _ I’m sorry _ \- I stutter as he pulls the hood off, knowing he was recognized now. He smiles, a little sad, but still amused by the way I react.

- _ It’s okay _ , she’s quite the swimmer indeed - he chuckles extending his hand to me and I take it shyly. - Sebastian - he introduces himself, but we both know it’s just courtesy.

\- I’m Alice, hi-i-i - I choke out still unable to tear my gaze from his face, his blue eyes mesmerizing me as the theme song ends and a slow song comes up.

 

_ I see what's happening here _

_ You're face-to-face with greatness and it's strange _

 

The song goes, a softer, more refined version of Maui’s introductory song and every word rings straight into my head, like it’s magic.

 

_ You don't even know how you feel, it’s… _

 

\- Adorable – Sebastian motions over to my niece rocking from side to side to the infectious rhythm of the song behind me.

\- Thanks - I say absentmindedly, still not over how handsome he looks, his hair, his eyes scanning my face. 

What were to odds of us meeting here? What is an international movie star even doing in a public cinema all alone on Moana? The thoughts rush through my mind like lightning in a thunderstorm as my heart beats like it wants to escape from my chest, but I can’t keep myself from hearing the words of the song playing.

 

_ Open your eyes, let's begin _

_ Yes, it's really me, breathe it in. _

_ I know it's a lot, the hair, the bod _

_ When you're staring at a demigod… _

 

_ So what can I say except… _

 

\- You’re welcome – he smiles, but before I could say anything about the way the song describes my current state perfectly, Suzie starts to poke me.

\- Auntie, Auntie Ally! Look!

I lose the lyrics as Suzie interrupts me, gripping my arm, tugging to draw my attention to her. And I turn.

\- What is it, dear? – I ask, trying not to sound annoyed.

\- Look, your tattoo! – she squeezes my forearm where the text “It’s okay” plays in silvery gray now instead of the stark black that it had been for decades now and for a moment I forget how to breathe, my mind goes blank and my heart clenches in panic. 

 

_ I found it. _

I found my soulmate.

Who…?

 

I turn back to Sebastian, my mouth slightly open, suddenly too dry to say anything. He looks at me, his face shocked now as he reaches for the left sleeve of his sweatshirt to roll it up slowly as if he was scared of what he might find under it.

The words “I’m sorry” play in the same ashy gray on his arm.

\- I… - he starts, looking up at me, but he can’t finish, he is speechless just as I am, tears prickling my eyes for the second time during this movie. I don’t remember when I put my hand in front of my mouth, but it doesn’t help muffle my ragged breath as I cry, half scared to death, half overjoyed as Suzie tugs on my arm still.

\- What is it, Auntie? What happened to your tattoo? – she keeps asking but I’m unable to reply, I can’t even look away from Sebastian’s eyes, afraid he would disappear if I did. People are stopping, staring at us, some even clap, whistling, congratulating, but neither of us can move. – Ally? – she asks a bit desperate now and I finally gather myself enough to look over to her.

\- It’s… it’s just… It’s telling me that I just found my soul mate, sweetheart – I say the words, still not believing the actual meaning of them. I feel something touch my hand on the armrest that I’m gripping like my life depended on it and I resist the instinct to pull away. I can’t look back at the actor. 

This must be a dream. I’m dreaming, I fell asleep again, my mind plays tricks on me, this can’t be.

\- Can we…? Can we go? – Sebastian asks cautiously, standing up, his voice wavering as lights start flashing around us, people recognizing him, taking pictures of an international star finding his soul mate in a movie theater.

I follow his lead and lift Suzie up into my arms, heading after him, out of the hall and out of the building. He takes my arm on the street and guides me to the pavement, hailing a cab as fast as he can. We get in and he tells a hotel’s name to the driver.

\- You don’t live in Boston? – I ask without thinking as I put Suzie in between us to the middle seat and fasten her seatbelt before I do the same with mine. He follows my lead as he speaks.

\- I’m in town to film, I actually live in New York – he looks over to me and tucks his sleeve back down uneasily when he catches me looking at the gray script on his left forearm.

\- I’m sorry – I say again, then realize it’s what he has on there. – I didn’t want to…

\- It’s… - he would say instinctively but pauses before he could finish the ominous phrase. – Just stop apologizing – he corrects.

\- Why are we going to your hotel? – I ask, realizing we can’t take Suzie with us wherever.

\- I couldn’t think of a better place – he mutters confusedly, running his fingers through his hair nervously. – You would like to take her home, before… right?

\- Yes, yes I would – I nod before turning to the driver and telling him my sister’s address.

\- But Auntie, you told me that we will get fro-yo before we go home – Suzie starts giving me the puppy eyes, but I have too much on my mind suddenly to think about fro-yo.

\- I’ll take you tomorrow – I promise. – I just… you see, me and Sebastian, we have some things to talk about, grown-up stuff and… I don’t want you to get bored, you know – I try to convince her that it’s actually for her sake.

\- I’m a grown-up! – she pouts, crossing her arms.

\- I know, sweet pea, but it’s really not a good time today – I pout at her too and I see her giving in.

\- But tomorrow you will tell me why you are crying and why your tattoo changed color, right?

\- Yes, yes, I’ll – I promise. – Over some frozen yogurt, of course – I smile at her, stroking her tiny cheek a little. She knows something important happened but it’s also obvious that she just can’t decide from our reactions if it’s a good thing or a bad one.

Honestly, I’m not sure either at this point. 

I look at Sebastian again, just to find him already resting his gaze on me. I understand his impatience without words, I’m scared too. This isn’t how it’s supposed to happen, this should be such a life-altering moment that you just feel in your bones when it’s happening.

I imagined it happening a thousand times, with a dozen of different guys over my years, it never happened and now… out of the blue like this? In the movies Saturday afternoon, seriously?

And if it wouldn’t be enough, it had to be an actor? A famous person? I mean, okay, I imagined that it would be Chris Evans when I was like 20 or someone so unbearably handsome, but… I never expected Sebastian Stan. I couldn’t possibly think of him being my soul mate, I didn’t even expect to ever meet him person in my lifetime, it’s just crazy! And I’m not even a huge fan, I mean, obviously I know who he is and obviously, I loved him in the Captain America movies, but… It’s one thing to admit that someone is good-looking and talented at his job and another to be their soul mate!

He must be crushed too. He must have expected someone so much… better.

 

I am torn between puzzled joy and paralyzing fear while we are in the car, Suzie holding my hand peering up at Sebastian then over me from time to time, stroking my arm comfortingly, making me smile. She is such a gem and she’s only 4. 

When we finally get home, Sebastian offers to stay in the car, waiting for me to drop off Suzie and talk a little with my sister.

\- Home so soon? – she asks meeting us in the hall as I’m pulling off her shoes before she’s off to the living room to watch some TV.

\- Something happened at the movies… - I start out, and her face gets shadowed by worry.

\- What happened? – she asks, her voice tense, but I shake my head.

\- Nothing… bad – I try to find the right word. – I just… - I sigh helplessly and pull up the sleeve of my coat to show her the gray pattern.

\- Oh, my… - she breaths then looks up at me. – How…? Who…?

\- I’ll tell you about it tomorrow, okay? – I ask, smoothing my coat back down over the sign. - I will come over in the afternoon. I promised to Suzie that I’ll tell her about the whole soul mates thing.

\- Is he here? – she asks and I nod.

\- He’s waiting in the car, I better be going – I add giving her a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. – Wish me luck.

\- You don’t need it anymore, it already happened – she smiles and lets me out.

 

I get in the car again and now we head to the hotel for real. 

We don’t say a word on the way, but it’s better this way, it helps me to calm down a little, the panic slowly dissolves and curiosity takes its place. I want to know why he is taking me to his hotel. I want to know what’s next. 

There are so many things to consider. I mean, this is the kind of thing that is… it seems so obvious that it will fill one with joy and that they will live happily ever after together until it happens and it’s not all whistles and bells the next moment. Of course, it isn’t. And the fact that he is famous… it really doesn't help either.

He opens the suite’s door in front of me and when it shuts behind us, he inhales deeply.

\- So… - he exhales the single word slowly.

\- So? - I look back at him, taking in the room. It’s neat and tidy, housekeeping kept it that way, the view was quite nice too and the furnishing more on the modern side but still classic with the white sheets and walls, natural-looking wooden furniture and everything else neutral earth-toned. It was nice.

\- Sit, please – he says motioning over to the bed and I obey, crossing my legs looking up at him expectantly, but he just stands there, confused.

\- Clearly, neither of us knows what to do – I state the obvious. – So how about we just… share whatever we are thinking right now, hm? – I offer. – I’ll start. So… I’m freaking out – I just put it out there and he smiles, but he still looks so lost, like a puppy. – And I’m not sure how this is supposed to work… I mean, I kind of gave up on this whole thing ever happening. I just stopped believing it when I was like 18 and I was fine with knowing I’ll probably never find… you – I say it hesitantly. – I accepted that I’m not a princess and there is no dragon and no prince coming to solve all my problems all at once, saying “It’s okay, Ally”. I never expected it to happen and now… now it did.

He stays silent for a few seconds, taking in my words, processing, thinking about how he could summarize his opinion about this, leaving me time to just take in his form.

He wears blue jeans and New Balance shoes, I recognized them from the N on the side and his sweatshirt with the hood is matching grey, hiding his upper body, but it’s still apparent that he is tightly built, his shoulders are board and his arms thick with muscle, maybe a little bit too much muscle for my liking, but as my eyes travel up to his face, I can’t spot a single flaw. He licks his dried-out, plump lips, the moisture painting them pink as his hand strokes the stubble on his chin, he’s keeping his eyes on the carpet, tracing patterns with the tip of his shoe into it, his long eyelashes fluttering as he blinks and when he looks at me again his hair falls into his face, his blue eyes almost completely lost behind the curtain of soft dark hair reaching his jawline. I can’t stand his gaze for long because I feel like falling into the depth of his blue irises and it makes me uncomfortable how a single look can make me forget about everything around me.

\- I waited a long time for this to happen – he finally says, his voice steady, but I feel the tension resonating in it slightly, but I can’t blame him for being nervous. – I never stopped believing that the day will come… I always considered myself a hopeless romantic, I never crossed out the possibility that I would never find… well, you, but at the same time I knew deep inside – he touches his chest just above his heart. – that I have to believe, that it has to happen at some point. Maybe when I’ll be old and gray, maybe tomorrow, but I still… I still feel caught off-guard by this – he shakes his head, but can’t keep the smile off his handsome face anymore. – I don’t know what happiness exactly feels like, but I think I’m terribly close to it now – he chuckles. – I mean, I had to turn down dozens of girls over the years, being famous is not easy in this sense when you can’t really know who you meet and who is fake and who is genuine and everyone keeps their hearts on lock and really… I heard people apologizing to me more than I heard my own name, it would have been impossible to just go out there and find you. It’s insane that it happened like this, it’s actually genius – he shakes his head like he still doesn’t believe what happened just a little bit more than an hour ago and I avert my gaze again. – When I get out of bed on my day off and go to the movies, just trying to blend in, to have some time alone and find this girl tripping over me, being cute with this little girl, making actual conversation without all the baggage that really, my identity means and then have her reveal that I’m her soul mate. It’s perfect.

 

I lift my gaze and watch him stand there, his bottom lip bit in, his eyebrows furrowed, trembling in his whole being, his eyes shining, but I only realize that he is crying when the first drop rolls down his cheek. I stand up and who knows why I just wrap my arms around him and he pulls me closer, his strong arms enveloping me, his body lulling me into this calmness with its warmth radiating off his skin, his smell filling my lungs as I inhale deeply and I feel a sense of indescribable belonging, like… like I just got home. To my real home.

\- Shhh… – I shush him gently, a smile blooming on my lips as my hand runs down on his hard back to come back up, rubbing away whatever shaken him so much. My tears were falling in streams now too, the tension, the fear of a lifetime rolling down on my cheeks to be drunk in by the soft gray cotton of his top, his embrace taking away all my resistance slowly but surely, making me melt against him.

As we part, we both try to wipe away the tears, but end up cleaning up each other’s after all. He brushes his thumb over my cheek holding my face under my jaw and before I know it, he is kissing me, his lips soft but demanding against mine, begging for entrance and I give it, willingly bringing him closer by cupping his cheek with my hands. He kisses me gently, but I feel just how much he was longing to do this, just how much I wanted it too, subconsciously maybe.

 

\- Perfect – he whispers once again opening up his eyes to meet them with mine, our foreheads touching, our lips swollen and smiling, almost painful now, but I don’t care, I don’t want to stop my smiling anymore, I let it warm me through and through cracking and melting off the ice of the burden of so many years when I thought this wasn’t possible, not for me, not ever. 

\- Perfect – I whisper back to him, kissing him once more before he leans to my ears asking quietly.

\- How about we watch Tangled and you talk some more about your insights of animation movies, I have Netflix on the hotel TV – he tempts me, grinning and I laugh.

\- Sounds like a plan.


End file.
